Midnight Illusions
by ImAColdOne
Summary: what if yhe person you loved, wasn't really real at all. what is he was something ... cold? hayley and luke have so many things to sort out, but with nat and frankie after them, life just got a bit more ... dangerous. if you liked twilight you love this.
1. Moving In

Chapter 1

Hayley

I didn't believe in love. Not after my mom and dad split up. But tonight, I believed again. We were only thirteen and my best friend, Katrina, had her first boyfriend and we were out in town that night with all our mates. The way she looked at him and the way he looked at her. It was magical. That look of love they had for each other, displayed in their eyes, was more amazing than anything I had seen. They looked perfect together. That's when I truly believed. That's when I knew that someday I wanted someone to look at me like that. To look at me like I was the most beautiful girl on the planet. Who wasn't embarrassed to hold my hand or put their arm around my waist and hold me into them. I knew that love was the most important thing.

But now I was here, in the car with my dad. In a horrible little town named Lewis Town. Why had I snuck out? I wouldn't be here if it hadn't. It was late one night and I got caught sneaking out to a party. At half eleven. At night. Why was my mother so strict? Everyone else was allowed to go. Why had she sent me from sunny Florida to live in Lewis town with my dad? And now, as I have previously said, I am in my father's old Toyota, going to live with him. In Lewis Town.

"See that plane," my father, Jacob, droned on. "That plane was originally made for the second world war."

"Cool." I said, totally uninterested. I completed my entry to the small talk we both knew my father was no good at by giving a completely un-humorous laugh.

As we entered the driveway, I took a deep breath as I looked out the window to the house I had been gladly dragged from when I was just a baby. The big white house stood there, mocking me. My father was walking up the steps to the front door with my luggage when I finally had the courage to leave the car. I walked through the door to enter the hall. This hall was small but was open planned and lead to the kitchen and dining room, and to the other side, the living room. On the mantel piece there was about a dozen frames with pictures of me, when I was born, my first day of kindergarten, first day of middle school, birthdays and photos of our first holiday together, as a family. I wandered into the living room to take a closer look. On the walls were pictures of him and my mom at their wedding. They looked so happy then, probably the only time they were happy the whole time they were together. The sound of my father's heavy boots banging up the stairs distracted me from my momentary lapse, where I almost enjoyed being here. I quickly snapped out of it and ran after him, scared of what was up there. At the top I turned to the left to find my old room, still painted pink from when I was twelve and had to visit him every holiday. The bed had a purple duvet and matching pillowcases. The curtains also matched the plain, tacky bed covers. Posters of pop stars and movie hunks cluttered the walls and so did some paintings I had made as a young child. The desk had a brand new laptop sitting on it. I raised one eyebrow but Jacob did not seem to notice. My bookshelf was bare, that needed to be sorted. The boring lamp on the bedside cabinet was probably the only thing I liked about the room. An oak wardrobe filled one wall.

"I'll leave you to unpack." He said awkwardly. Thank god! Some time alone. As my dad left the room I walked after him to shut the door and slid down behind it. I don't know how long I had sat there for, but I was dark outside before I stood up again.

I dragged my heavy feet downstairs for some dinner. Dad was sprawled out on the couch, a baseball game flashing on the television. I raked the kitchen cupboards and the fridge until I could find the ingredients for mac and cheese. As it heated, I sang a little bit to my self, remembering singing in the place I loved, home. My real home. Here I just felt like an unwanted visitor. Not welcome. The oven went beep and I quickly transferred the pasta from the cooking dish to a plate. I took my seat at the table, looking out the window. It was so dull and rainy outside. The pasta was too hot, but I ate it anyway, ignoring the numb pain coming from my mouth. After I finished dinner I cleaned up and dragged my heavy feet up the stairs for a shower.

The hot water didn't even help my anxiety. I dressed in my pyjamas and lay my weary head on the pillow and slid under the covers. With a sigh, I closed my eyes. As I creaped into unconsciousness, the trees hit off my window and the rain lashed and the wind shook the house. Great. Oh, and I had my first day at a new High School tomorrow.


	2. Running Away

Chapter 2

Luke

I can't believe I just did that. Oh, god! What was Nat going to say! Crap! I had just bitten my girlfriend. Sounds silly right, well not exactly. You see, now she's a vampire. You get me now? God, god, god! What am I going to do? I could kill her? No, I couldn't do that. I could leave her. No, she's too strong she'd hurt someone. This could take awhile. I know. I could run away from Nat and take her with me. He'd never know! Brilliant Luke! Oh, no. Here she comes. I'll have to tell her now or never.

"Hi, Frankie!"

"Hey Luke, wow! Can you believe it? I'm a vampire like you! I feel so controlled. Aren't I supposed to be bloodthirsty?"

"No, that just a legend Frankie. Now you need to listen."

"Ok"

"Nat is going to literally kill me when he finds out what I've done."

"What have you done?"

"Turned you!"

"Oh, right. Yeah, sorry. Carry on."

"Well, we have to run away or Nat is going to murder me. And before you ask, killing a vampire _is_ possible."

"Ok, er. Where should we go?"

"Somewhere rainy, where our pale skins will match."

"And so we don't burn in the sunlight?" she said shaken. She was a right dumbass sometimes.

"No … We don't burn, Frankie. Legends. No, we have to go somewhere rainy and dark so we don't glow in the sunlight."

"Glow?"

"Yes, we glow. We literally produce a visible aura in the sunlight. People will know were different."

"Oh."

"Come on, Nat is looking for me, we need to leave now."

"But my family!"

"No, they wont recognise you anymore. You're different in so many ways. No time for a goodbye as well, he's close."

"Ok, well we could go to Lewis Town. It's dark and rainy there, I did a geography project about it a while ago."

"Right, to Lewis Town."

We ran for about four hours where we soon enough came to the Lewis Town border. This town smelled nice and woody. And everyone was pale. We'd fit in here nicely. But I wasn't sure I could stand forever with Frankie. Sure she was beautiful. Her long red hair hung to her back in pre-raphelite style curls. Her now silky complexion clashed against the darkness of her eyes. She was hungry. Well we'd find someone here, probably some old hermit lounging on the kerb. I hated eating humans. It was the only part about being a vampire I detested. It made me feel like the monster. Was there any other way?

And that's when I saw her. Driving down the road in an old Toyota. Her flame red hair, the same colour as Frankie's, caught my eye immediately. Some blond highlights were here and there around her hair and her big eyes cut through the glass on the car window. Her fringe covered one eye, making her look like a Cyclops teenager. A very cute Cyclops. Black eyeliner ringed her eyes, flicked out at the sides. And a nose ring hung from the bit between her nostrils. Her delicate face leaned gently against her hand. Who was she?


	3. Meeting Luke

Chapter 3

Hayley

My alarm clock rang and I heaved myself from under the covers. Groggily, I dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a blue t-shirt. I ran a brush through my matted hair and applied some mascara, eyeliner and lip balm. Jacob was up and making breakfast, good, I wouldn't have to cook. The smell of bacon and waffles wafted from downstairs and my stomach gurgled. I traipsed to the kitchen where my father had laid out my breakfast.

"Bye honey," he called from the front door. "I'm off to

work, have a nice day!" A nice day, sure, what the heck! As soon as I stepped in those doors everyone would become my BFF and we'd make finger paints and knit for the Grandma's of America Association. Not. A loud grumble came from my stomach so I quickly ate my waffles leaving the bacon and swigging down a glass of orange juice. I ran to the bathroom and brushed my teeth. What time was it? 8:30! The school bus would be here any minute! I looked out my window and sure enough, the big yellow bus was driving up the lane towards my house. I dashed downstairs to grab my school bag and lock up. It was cold and icy outside so I made sure not to trip.

When I reached the bus, the doors opened to reveal a smiling bus driver. His smile widened as I took a step onto the bus.

"Hey there sweetie, you're a newbie, right?"

"Yeah."

"I'm Tom, your bus driver."

"Hey Tom."

"Now go on and take your seat, were leaving."

He smiled again and his big, wide smile brightened his dark features.

I turned to spot everyone on the bus. Damnit! This had been Tom's last stop, I'd kinda been hoping it was his first. Everyone was staring at me with criticising eyes. There was one seat by the window, with no one else sitting by it. I wandered up the aisle to the seat. People were whispering, I knew it. They looked at me and then spoke to their friends in hushed tones. What was I, a circus freak. No, I was the new kid.

I took my seat and the bus started rolling again. Everyone had went back to his or her own business as I sat there in silence. After ten minutes we were at the school. My first impressions were that this was a young offenders institution. The walls were a deep russet colour and the big windows were placed randomly about the front of the building. The grass outside needed a trim and there was broken glass and dog crap on the pavement. I was last off the bus and Tom gave me a good-luck-on-your-very-first-day-you-know-it's-nicer-inside speech as I exited the bus.

It was very busy, even though it was raining. People rushed into class with bags on their heads and umbrellas turning inside out. I quickly walked to the main office where I would get my timetable and books I needed and my locker. After I had collected everything I went to my locker to put everything away. Luckily the bell had went and there was no students around, but unfortunately this meant I would have to walk into class late. Dang!

That's when I saw him. His brown hair tousled in light curls around his face. His pale skin was so beautiful and silky it almost shimmered. He wore a white top and a pair of baggy jeans, with converses. He leaned against the lockers, looking edgy. Who was he? I looked over at him and he met my gaze and smiled. I don't even know how my face looked then. Probably a mixture or confusion and drooling. I quickly turned away to find I had forgotten what I was doing. Keeping my cool I turned to leave, only to crash into him. He had crept up to silently I hadn't even noticed he was there, or the ringing I could hear in my ears had drowned out the sound of his approach. I dropped my books and as I leaned to grab them I tripped over his foot. Oh, no! I was going to fall and make myself look like a huge dork. But, instead of feeling the cold, hard ground all I could feel were his cold hard hands. He had caught me just in the nick of time. I stared at him, and he stared back. I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was like an Adonis. His pale face was even more beautiful close up. His dark eyes were almost black. His mouth quivered into a smile. A dazzling smile. White, perfect teeth greeted me and I couldn't help smiling back. He looked so handsome, like a movie star. But, who was he?

"Thank you." I gasped. I had forgotten to breathe.

"Your welcome, er."

"Hayley Stewart."

"Your welcome, Hayley Stewart."

"Er, I don't mean to be rude. But, who are you?"

"I'm Luke Middleton."

"Hi, Luke. Are you new here?"

"Yeah, you?"

"Er, yeah. Me too. What you got first period?"

"Chemistry."

"Me too."

"Wanna walk together?"

"Sure."

"Kay, lets go."

Whoa. I am smiling so much. My face hurts. But I don't mind. I kinda have a feeling that living here is going to get much better.


	4. Surprises

Chapter 4

Luke

Whoa. I know the girls name. It's Hayley Stewart. What a beautiful name. I think I'm in love. We have so much in common. We like the same bands. We like the same books. We like the same movies. We even bought the same lunch in the cafeteria. But I can't be with her. I don't want her to become a monster. Like I had done to poor Frankie. And I can't be with her because of Frankie. Jeez Luke, what have you done! I think I'm starting to talk to myself. That isn't healthy right? This is bad, real bad.

What was Nat doing now? I missed him I guess. Just not enough to put up with the beating I would get for changing Frankie. So I lay on the grass, in the football field at school, looking at the stars, thinking about my big brother. Remembering the night he died for me. I could remember it so clearly. It was a dark night, about fifteen years ago. We were just coming back from a school dance. It was only about nine thirty but the streetlights were already on. We'd taken a shortcut through some abandoned warehouses. There was music coming from one, I distinctly remember it as Madonna. The lights were on and there was people dancing. We were a bit drunk and decided to join the party.

"Hey everybody!" Nat had shouted. Nobody replied. They all froze and looked at us in a movement so fast it wasn't real. One girl looked at a man and nodded.

"Hello," she said. "Decided to join our party did you?" We both nodded, eyes wide with shock at this beautiful girl who was talking to _us._ She smiled sweetly and I walked towards her. Nat was close behind me, but I soon heard his footsteps vanish as another hot girl started chatting to him. Nobody began to dance again. The girl walked to me. Her coal black hair hung to her shins, perfectly straight. She wore a short white dress. It looked more like a nightgown than a party dress. Her black eyes pulled me towards her and her lips, as red a blood pulled back into a large smile.

"We've been waiting for you." She said. I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Her hand reached out for my hand and I grabbed it immediately. Her cold skin was as hard as stone. I shivered when we touched. A slow song came on the jukebox and she pulled herself towards me. I placed my hands on her waist and she threw hers around my neck. We danced and talked. Nothing seemed weird, until now. She leapt back, so gracefully she looked like she was flying. She backwards rolled into a light crouch and looked at me. I raised my hands as in defeat, but she just smiled. Not her nice warm smile but a deliciously evil smile. That's when I knew something was wrong. Nat didn't seem to notice I was paralysed on the spot, shaking and mumbling something unintelligible. She was still staring at me. Her eyes wild with thirst and hunger. She pounced at me and crashed into my chest. I screamed and Nat's head snapped up. He searched for me, but I was lying on the floor, broken.

"This is going to hurt. A lot." The beautiful girl said, then she plunged her razor sharp fangs into my neck. I slipped into unconsciousness and all I could remember after that was Nat running into the vampire who had bitten me. And his screaming. He was dead too.

The next day I woke up in the warehouse to find Nat lying a couple of yards away. He wasn't awake yet, but he'd be up soon. His body lay there, lifeless, all twisted into a weird shape from his attack. I can remember thinking, what happened last night? Then I heard someone singing in an alley near the warehouse and the thirst raised in my throat. I felt the fangs grow so quick in my mouth and I couldn't control myself after that. I had become one of them. A mythical creature. A vampire.

I heard her quick, springy footsteps closing in on me. Would I have to break her heart? She found me lying there and leaned down to kiss me. I turned away and she fell on my cheek.

"So," she said awkwardly. "What've you been doing?"

"Nothing much."

"Er, okay." She sat there impatiently. She wanted me to ask her what she'd been doing. I sighed.

"What have you been up too lately?" I asked to be polite.

"I enrolled in your school, we have every class together. Isn't that exciting!" she beamed.

Crap! What about Hayley?

"Great!" I exclaimed. Good thing I knew how to lie convincingly. I sat up to hug her. I didn't want to burst her bubble. All I knew was that I was going to have to break someone's heart. But I didn't know who's.


	5. Bitter Tears and Broken Hearts

Chapter 5

Hayley

I haven't seen much of Luke today. I wonder where he is. I am beginning to think that he is God's idea of a joke. He cant be real. Can he? I've begun to feel weird since I met him. Every time he is around me I feel like I could burst, every time he touches me or accidentally bumps into me I go weak at the knees. Every time he looks at me, whether I'm looking or not I almost faint. And every time he isn't with me I feel sick with worry and rejection. Never mind the fact I just met him yesterday. I feel as if I've known him forever. I have never felt this way about a boy before. My mom has described this too me before. This was how she felt when she had first met my father. How she had_ loved_ him once. Was I in love with Luke? No, that was crazy. I had just met him. But now, everything revolved around him. If it weren't for the fact I'd most definetly meet him again, I'm sure I would have done something majorly drastic that I'd regret almost immediately by now. I hadn't seen him today though. He did promise we'd see each other again. In the near future. Why was I so obsessed with him?

"Hayley, Hayley, Hayley!"

Oh, my English teacher was shouting at me to get out of the classroom. Whoa. I'd been dreaming of Luke for so long, I hadn't heard the bell. Mr Barlow didn't look too happy and his face was red and sweaty.

"Next time, Miss Stewart. I suggest that you set an alarm on your watch. I need a lunchtime too you know!"

I packed up my copy of Oliver Twist and flung my backpack over my shoulder. Quickly, I hurried out the classroom and into the cafeteria where I sat down with some friends. Well only a couple were friends, Lily and Mercy, some girls who I had all my classes with. We got on well but I still hoped that Luke would come and save me from their groups endless chatter. Lily flicked her blonde curls behind her head and turned to face me.

"So, anyone cute?"

"Er, not really."

"Oh, come on Hayles, look. This cafeteria is bursting with hotties."

"Yeah," agreed Mercy. She pulled a bit of brown hair from her face and behind her ear. Her glasses slipped off her face and she grabbed them before they hit the floor. As she sat up she began saying "there's Craig on the Track team or there's Cameron on the football team."

"Nah. There's no one really here for me …" I began but shut my mouth when I saw him. There he was. My wait was over. Luke walked in the room and searched over everyone until he found me and smiled. I began to smile back but then I saw her. She walked in behind Luke, and she was beautiful. Her hair shot out behind her in wavy tendrils like fire blazing from a building. Her skin was as pale as Luke's was and her eyes as black as his also. She was tall and slender. Her hand reached for Luke's and held it. Oh, how I envied her. Who was she and why hadn't Luke told me he had a girlfriend. The deception, the betrayal. I felt like he had ripped out my heart and crushed it in his palm.

I was going to be sick. I had no capacity for this love and hate. Was I just his little decoy? I should have seen through it. He used me. No one could be that nice. Maybe he really hated me, probably.

"Excuse me." I whispered to Mercy and Lily. I got out my seat and walked, well almost ran, to the bathroom. I burst through the door, not caring if anyone was in the toilets. Thank god no one was, because as soon as I had locked the door I burst out in tears. The first time I had cried over a boy. But what I didn't get was how much I felt for him, even though we'd only met yesterday. I _loved_ him. I also _hated _him. I _loathed_ him. I _detested_ him. Every time I thought of him, I wanted to scream. This about of passion I felt. Ugh! The bell rang for end of lunch but I didn't want to leave. I stayed there and cried until the last bell. Schools over. I'd have to leave now, or I'd get locked in here. That option didn't seem so bad. But Jacob would have the police searching for me everywhere, so I picked my self up and unlocked the cubicle door. I looked in the mirror. I was a mess! My eyeliner was smudged and my mascara was dripping down my face. My eyes red and sore from crying. I pulled out some concealer and my eyeliner and mascara. I headed to the mirror when she walked in. The girl. The one with Luke. I tried to hide my face, and hold back tears. She walked gracefully, as if dancing, to the mirror. I put the concealer around the raw bits before I started to cry again. The tears were coming. I could feel them lurking. But I held them back as well as I could. I picked up the eyeliner and took the brush in a line on my eyelid and flicked it out at the end. I repeated this with the other eye, catching quick glimpses of her. She just stood there staring at her reflection, stunned. I brushed the mascara through my eyelashes and packed everything up. I turned to her and she smiled at me. I glowered at her.

"Hi, I'm Frankie" she held out her hand so I would shake it. I wasn't planning on it.

"Hayley" I replied coldly.

"Well, yeah. Hi. Clean bathrooms right?"

"Yeah." I almost growled.

"Well, it was nice to meet you, guess I'll go now"

"Yeah, I'll best be on my way out."

I left her behind in the toilets. Whoa. That was really mean. That's not like me at all. Well she had it coming. She had Luke.


	6. Got No Time For Feeling Sorry

Chapter 6

Luke

She hates me. Dear God! She hates me. First Nat now Hayley. Why had I thought that having Frankie there was an okay idea? Now I will probably never see Hayley again. You should have seen the way she looked at lunch. I thought I'd lost, well got rid of, Frankie and went to find Hayley in the cafeteria. Bad idea. I forgot Frankie was so fast, and when I found Hayley in the room she appeared. Halyey's face fell when Frankie took my hand. I did let go, but Hayley had left. I heard her whisper to her friends 'Excuse me' but then she ran off. I could have went after her but last time I checked, girls didn't like boys in the girls room. I could hear her crying all day. Well not literally, but I walked past the girls room and heard her crying and I could hear her tearful sob in my head all day. I knew it. I had broken someone's heart. Not a strong, powerful vampires heart, but a poor, weak humans. When I saw her face before she left there was a mixture of sickness, betrayal and hate. How could I ever make it up to her?

Oh no! Here she comes. Waiting outside for Frankie, I saw her walk down the big stone steps. I was leaning on them at the bottom, but I wanted to run. I couldn't now. She walked past me, not ever a glare or anything. She even held her breath when she walked past me.

"Hayley!" I shouted after her, should I do this? Well too late now. "Hayley!" I jogged after her. "Hayles!"

"Just do yourself a favour and leave me alone." She said without stopping.

"Why?" I said when I had caught up with her. She stopped on turned to look at me. Her face full of anger and confusion.

"Why?"

"Yeah."

"Because, you don't want to break your _girlfriend's _heart." She sighed. "Like you broke mine." She muttered under her breath.

"Whoa, so I broke your heart?" I felt gob smacked. I didn't know she was that into me. Wow, now I felt extremely guilty.

"Yes." She said, keeping her pride. She turned away and began walking. I stood there, stunned.

"Well you know what?" I shouted after her.

"What?" she said as she turned round. I ran up to her. I looked her in the eyes, I felt like melting. I leaned down to her face.

"Well, Hayley. I'm about to mend it." And I leaned in even more until our lips touched and soon we were kissing. This felt different to kissing Frankie. It felt more natural. Had I made a mistake with Frankie? Was Hayley my true soul mate? After about three minutes we finally found the will to stop.

"Wow." Hayley smiled.

"Yeah." I said. She put her arms round me and hugged me closely. I hugged her back.

"Who is she?" Hayley asked.

"Oh." I wasn't expecting this so soon.

"Well." She looked up at me. How could I resist telling her. I'd already hurt her too much. Secrets would make that worse.


	7. It's Over

Chapter 7

Hayley

Well, he did have a girlfriend. Was he going to dump her for me? Oh, I feel bad now. I was so rude to her then her boyfriend cheats on her with me. Gosh. What am I going to do. Well I will have to make dinner now. Dads out and I'm alone. What is there to eat in this place? Ravioli, there we go. I was just about to put the ravioli in the pot when the doorbell rang. Who could come knocking at this hour. Ten thirty. Jeez. I walked over to the door and opened it slowly. And there, standing in his glory ness, was Luke.

"Come in." I said, gasping. I had forgotten to breathe again.

"Hey." He said.

"Hi, so what brings you here then?"

"Oh, you know. A girl. Red headed. About 5ft 4''." He smiled.

"Well your in luck. I think I have one left." I said and threw my arms around his neck and stood on my toes so I could kiss him. After a minute he pulled away. "What?" I asked confused. "Do I have bad breath?" I cupped my hand round my mouth and breathed. No, no bad breath.

"No, your breath is fine," he chuckled. "It's Frankie."

"Oh." This had caught me up short.

"No, no, no, no, it's not that. It's, well. I'm going to have to dump her tonight. Before she finds out. She can get quite temperamental."

"Oh, okay." Wow. This felt really bad now. But I had to have him. Luke had to be mine. Feeling this way over a boy was unrational. I began to panic when I thought of a life without him. But Frankie had never done anything to me. She didn't deserve this. But I was so in love with Luke that I could even begin to suggest life without him. It didn't seem right now. Oh, dear. What the worst that could happen in two days? Well I could fall in love with someone in those two days. And someone's heart could get broken in those two days. I sighed when I thought of all the possibilities. I hadn't realised I'd been quiet for a while and Luke looked at me with worried eyes.

"Are you okay, Hayley?"

"Er, yeah. I … I just need a seat that's all." I unsteadily walked into the living room and dropped on the couch. Luke sat on the armchair next to me. I stared at the ceiling. Why was all this happening to me?

"Hayley. Hayley …" Oh, no! I had fallen asleep. I opened my eyes to find Luke hovering over me. What time was it? I lifted my watch to my face. One forty! In the morning!

"Whoa, where's Jacob?" I sat up looking around franticly. He didn't seem to be here, but he said he'd be back from the bar at twelve thirty. Where was he?

"It's ok Hayley. He came home. He's in bed. Little bit drunk, but that's what happens." He said with a smile.

"What, where did you go? He wouldn't have been exactly happy to see you here. He doesn't like boys over. Even if their friends …" I trailed off.

"It's okay, I left then came back."

"But how did you get back in, Dad always locks the doors when he comes in after being at the bar?"

"It's a long story, but someone's window was open." He said laughing. I liked his laugh. It was nice and sweet. Not a trace of mocking me at all. It was such I nice laugh; I had to laugh with him. Mine seemed odd compared with his. Not as twinkling.

I stood up shakily, his hands shot out as if to catch me. Was this real? I laughed at myself as I steadied myself. My stomach gurgled angrily. I was starving. I ran to the kitchen to get the ravioli. As I watched the tiny pasta pillows drop into the bowl with the tomatoey sauce trail after it I nearly dropped with hunger. I licked my lips as I watched it spin in the microwave. When the microwave went _ding_ I almost exploded. It smelled delicious. I pulled I quickly from the microwave and transferred it to a plate. I grabbed a fork from the cutlery drawer and raced to the table. When I got there Luke held out a chair for me. I looked at him, incredulously. He nudged his head to the seat and I took it. Luke sat across from me, his head leaning on this hand. I couldn't get the hot food to my mouth fast enough, my stomach must have thought that my throat had been cut off. I ate and ate and within two minutes the ravioli was gone. I cleaned the sauce from around my mouth. Luke hadn't moved.

_Ring, ring, ring …_

His phone rang, and rang.

"Who is it?" I asked.

"Frankie. She'll want to know where I am."

"Oh."

"I need to tell her Hayles. Now or never. She wont let me explain if she sees us."

"Oh." Was that all I could say?

He picked up the phone on its last ring.

"Hey Frankie, er, we need to talk."

"_What?"_ I heard on the other end of his cell.

"Well, I don't think … that, you know, we are …"

"_You're breaking up with me?"_

"Yeah, sorry. It's just not working out, Franks."

"_After all this, you're breaking up with me! First you change me, then dump me!"_ Change me?

"Sorry, you, it's, just. I don't know. We just don't belong together anymore. It was a mistake. You knew it yourself. We weren't destined for anything. We've been pulled separate ways," he looked over at me. I felt even worse. "Goodbye, Frankie." And he shut his phone. I ran over and hugged him.

"I'm confused."

"Why?"

"She said, _first you change me_, what is that supposed to mean?"

"No, she never said that." Was he lying?

"She did, I swear!"

"You're tired Hayley, c'mon. Bed." He was right, I was tired.

"Bye Luke." I smiled.

"Bye Hayley. I'll knock tomorrow and we'll walk to school. Love you."

"I love you too, Luke." I ushered him to the door. He held the door open and one he was on the porch he pulled me into a tight hug. His lips found mine and we were kissing again. I watched him disappear into the darkness until he was gone. I closed the door and sighed. Wow. I had a boyfriend. And he looked at me exactly the same way as Katrina's boyfriend had. I sighed. I still felt bad about Frankie, but now Luke was mine. All mine. I nearly skipped up the stairs and into my bed. I fell asleep in what I was wearing. I was too tired.


	8. Savage

Chapter 8

Luke

I did the right thing. Frankie would feel sad for a while but her heart would mend. She knew it wasn't going to last forever. Now maybe Nat wouldn't kill me. No, that was just hopeful wishing. He'd still kill me. There was no avoiding that. I can still remember what he said to me when I first started seeing Frankie.

"Try not to kill her, bro."

"Don't worry Nat, I wont."

"You want to though, don't you?"

"Yeah, but I wont, dude."

"Dude, you will. It's inevitable."

"I just won't okay. Stop being so responsible and live a

little, Nat."

"No, not when a poor, innocent girls life is at steak here."

"Her life isn't in any danger, she's got me to protect her."

"It's the _you_ bit I'm worried about."

That was the last time I ever saw my brother. I'd went on that date with Frankie, and bitten her. that's when we ran. But Frankie was in the past now and Hayley was the future. I just lay there on the football field like last night. Wow, so much had changed since the last time I was here. There were no stars tonight, just a bright crescent moon. And rain. This was one thing I liked about being a vampire. The way everything is different. Your human senses become amazingly better and you're almost like a superhero. The strength. The speed. The sight. The taste. The feel. The sounds. All super-fied. All heighted so much. The feel of rain on your cold hard skin was immense. You could feel every drop. Splash, splash, splash . The sound of the wind blowing between the blades of grass was like heaven. Swish, swish, swish. The sound of footsteps, a mile away got louder. Thump, thump, thump. Oh, no. the fangs ripped their way through my gum. I stood straight and alert. I pinpointed the sound, they were close. Their smell, warm and human, brought out a burning sensation that made its way up my throat. I lowered into a hunting crouch. Ready to run and surprise my prey. The thirst ravaged through my body. I needed this. If I didn't want to kill Hayley, I had to eat. And this human was my feast. I ran. The cold wind lashing off my face. I speed round the corner. And there she was. A young girl, ages with me. About seventeen or eighteen. In an olive green tracksuit, iPod playing, blasting workout music. I didn't want to kill her, but it was out of my control now. The monster inside me had come. I wasn't the real Luke anymore. I was a savage, brute. Who's only intention was to kill. As she jogged, her brown hair bobbed in its ponytail. She was so young, but her smell was too delicious to distract me. I ran out in front of her to face her. She jumped back, clearly shocked.

"What, who are you?"

I obviously couldn't reply. I just lunged at her and set my teeth into her neck. She screamed in agony. But I couldn't stop until I had sucked her dry. Once I was done with the girl, I had to leave. But as I left, I stood on her glasses. God. I really was a monster. I had to tell Hayley. Sooner or later. Before this happened to her. Before I killed the girl I loved.


	9. Knowing

Chapter 9

Hayley

Did I look okay? Was my hair still straight? Oh, god. I don't know why I was feeling like this. Luke was only walking me to school. I didn't have to look like a princess.

_Knock, knock, knock …_

I jumped. I hadn't been expecting him so soon. I took a quick glance at the clock on the mantelpiece. He was on time. Wow. Time had really flown. I picked up my backpack and opened the door. There he was, even more beautiful than last night. I sighed. He turned to face me, eyes somewhere else.

"What's wrong Luke."

"Do you really have to go to school today?"

"No, why?"

"I need to tell you something. Important."

"Er, ok. I just need to phone in school, saying I'm sick."

"No you don't, c'mon. you don't have to be so responsible." I trusted his words enough. He seemed sincere.

"Ok, come on." He held his hand out for me and we walked on. He led me to a trail that lead into the forest. Why were we going here?

"What is going on Luke?" I said as I pulled my hand from his. Worry clouded his face, and he turned to walk into the woods again.

"Come on Hayley."

I followed, unsure of what was happening. Last night he had been so sweet, now it looked if he wanted to kill me or something.

Once in the forest, he stopeed to a sudden hault. His posture was strong and protective. His hands balled into fists, clenching and un-clenching.

"Luke?" I reached towards him, placing my hand on his elbow. He shrugged away.

"I'm not like other boys. I'm different. I wasnt born in the same year as you. I was born in 1977. But I'm only 17. How do you think that is possible Hayley?"

I didn't know what to say. I was lost for words.

"Cause theres something you dont know about me, something that is dangeruous."

"What is it?"

"Let's just say, if i tell you, I'm going against every moral my brother has set for me. But if you guess, then i think that would be reasonable.

I'm fast, extraordinarily fast. And strong. My eyes change colour. I don't eat _human_ food. I eat ..._ humans._" He almost blushed. I cowered away from him, taking uneasy steps back. Remembering all the supernatural based books i had read, books that quenched my thirst for my horror addiction, I realised who – _what_ – he was.

My lips quivered. This would be difficult. The word edged round my mouth, afraid to leave my lips. My breathing became heavier, until I was feeling light-headed. I stopped backing away when i came to a tree. I closed my eyes taking in a deep breath.

"Vampire."


End file.
